A Weed is in the Eye of the Beholder

When I was young, I loved dandelions! There was a field near the grade school that would be solid yellow with dandelions in the early spring. I thought it was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen!

I can remember my friends and I hanging out there and even rolling in the field. We would check to see who likes butter and make necklace chains. The only downside was the liquid from the flowers turning black on our hands and clothes. (It was hard to wash off.)

After they went to seed, we would wish on the white puff heads of the flowers. For some reason, we thought if we found one that didn't have any seeds missing yet, we were more likely to have our wish come true. (I didn't end up marrying Michael from my third-grade class, so it probably did not make a difference.)

My dad had a different view of those beautiful yellow flowers. He hated them, using chemicals and a special digging tool to kill as many as possible. He even got irritated when neighbors were not as diligent about getting rid of the pests.

I didn't understand why something prettier than the grass could cause him so much irritation.

On a related note, when I was in high school my dad told the story of a co-worker who had a wild flower growing in his flower bed that he thought was beautiful. He was mulching it, watering it, using fertilizer and wanted my dad to stop by to see if he could identify it. When dad got there, he recognized the flower immediately -- it was a common thistle. Another weed.

As the first few dandelions are popping up in my yard, I still think they are beautiful. The bright yellow color still makes me happy! But, because my neighbors do not feel the same way, I kill them -- just like my dad did.

Now I wonder -- way back when people were deciding which plants were food, which were flowers, which were weeds, etc., who made the decision? People eat dandelions. Others even make wine from them.

So, who decided that a dandelion is not worthy, yet a rose, collard greens and grapes are? Who determined that the simple beautiful yellow flower is just a weed?